Ryan King – Geography of the Holy Lands – Class 2 – Shechem The Place Of Decision

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Now ask for your attention to
our brother Ryan as he delivers

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the topic on Shechem, the place
of decision.

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Thanks.
Thanks, brother Ed, and good

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morning, my dear brothers and
sisters and the.

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Lord Jesus Christ.
In our.

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Study yesterday, we endeavoured.
To just give you a nice.

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Layout of the.
Land of Israel.

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With its various sections.
And we saw that the land of

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Israel.
Is divided up into a.

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Hump with two planes.
On either side.

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It sort of follows a a hump like
shape across the breadth of its

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territory.
You may have remembered that.

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There are three.
Ranges of hills along this hump.

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There are the Galilee.
Hills in the North.

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There are the.
Samaritan Hills in the center.

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That’s.
Where we’ll be this morning at

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Shechem and the Judean hills in
the South and on the other.

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Side of these.
Plains.

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This is known as the Hill
Country Jerusalem happens to be.

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Right about here.
This morning will be at.

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Shechem which is about.
Here along these.

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Hills.
They range about 3.

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To 3 1/2 thousand.
Feet high and.

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Then when you go on either.
Side you drop.

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Down to the.
Floor so on.

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Either end of the hump there are
two famous plains.

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There is the Plain of Sharon
which is on the.

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Western side.
And then there is what’s known

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as the Arabah, which is on the
eastern.

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Side, which is the term that the
scripture uses?

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For the.
Depression of the Jordan Valley

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as it slopes down towards.
The Dead Sea.

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The Dead Sea in certain.
Parts of Scripture is called the

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Sea of the Arabah.
It appears in the AV.

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As the sea of the.
Plain.

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So it’s very very easy to
remember you’ve got 3 ranges of

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hills.
Down the center and then plains

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on either.
Side.

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This morning we want to look at
a very famous.

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Place which is right.
In the centre of the land at.

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Shechem Another.
Fact that we pointed out

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yesterday, brothers and sisters.
Was is that the?

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Land reinforces the principles.
Of Scripture.

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That we know to be true.
It serves as a confirmation, if

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you like, of what we know to be
true in the faith.

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Both our doctrinal principles.
As well as our moral.

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Principles are verified.
By the land of Israel and one of

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the principles that we have to
come to.

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Grips with when we come to a
knowledge.

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Of the truth.
Is this that every day is a

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struggle?
Every day we have to make a.

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Choice.
The Lord Jesus Christ says.

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That if you’re going to follow
after me, you must.

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Take up your cross daily.
And it just so happens that

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there is a place in the Land of
Israel that reminds us.

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Of that very important
principle.

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And this morning.
I’d like to.

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Take you there the place.
Is known as.

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Shechem.
Now Shechem, just looking at

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that map, what do you notice?
About it straight away.

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Well, it’s the physical center
of the land.

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It’s right in the very heart of
the Hill Country, and it’s about

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the same distance to either end.
Either to the.

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Plain of Sharon.
Or down to the Arabah.

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It’s right in the middle.
It’s the.

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Physical centre of the land.
Which thereby highlights.

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It’s important so it’s obvious.
That if.

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There’s going to be anything
significant about this place.

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It must be very, very.
Important because God put it.

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Right in the centre.
Now I’d like to open our studies

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in First Kings chapter 12.
Very, very quickly, we’re going

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to see a principle established
with Shechem that.

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You and I.
Have to make every day.

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You know, in the truth, we’re
never able to be content with

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ourselves.
Every day has to be a.

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Struggle, First Kings chapter.
12 We read something peculiar

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what they did.
With the new King Rehoboam now

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we’re told in first Kings
Chapter 12 and Rehoboam went to.

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Shechem for all Israel.
Will come to Shechem to make him

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king.
Now Rahabaum was going to be the

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king over the Kingdom of Judah,
the Kingdom of.

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Judah, of course.
Its capital was Jerusalem.

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And he was going to go back to
Jerusalem and he was going to

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sit on David.
‘S throne, but that wasn’t.

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Where they anointed him in order
that they might make Rahabaum

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king.
Over all Israel they took.

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Him to Shechem now.
Why would they take?

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Him to Shechem when he’s going
to go down to Jerusalem.

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And sit on David’s.
Throne.

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Well establishes.
Here once again a very.

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Important principle for which
Shechem stands and we’d.

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Like to look at that.
Principle right now.

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The first person to ever.
Come to this place.

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Quite appropriately.
Was Abraham.

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He’s the.
Father of the faithful.

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He’s the one that we’re
supposed.

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To follow, so he is the first.
That comes to Shechem, and in

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Genesis chapter 12, we see an
important principle set down

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when Abraham comes to this
place, and we’ll figure out.

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From this why it was that they
took rehoboam?

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To Shechem of all places.
To be anointed king over.

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Israel, if we come back.
To Genesis chapter. 12 the first

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stop by.
Abraham in the land.

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And he must.
Have come to many.

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Different places as he went.
Came down from here in way up in

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the north and he was removed, as
Stephen says in Acts Chapter 7

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into the land Now there must
have been many.

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Places that he would have.
Come to as he came from from way

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up here in Haran, down into the
land of Israel.

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He might have had many stops
along that journey, but the

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Bible only points out one It was
Abraham’s. 1st.

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Stop.
When he entered the promised

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land, he came to Shechem.
Now, as we’ve said before.

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Good Bible study is based.
Upon good Bible.

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Reading very few.
Of us will ever become.

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Experts at Greek or Hebrew?
But we.

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Can be good contextual students
of the Bible.

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And we can be.
Careful readers and sometimes

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the.
Bible says so much.

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By just reading it.
Notice how Genesis chapter 12

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and verse five reads.
It says there in Genesis 12

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verse 5 and Abram.
Took Suraya his wife.

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And Lot, his brother’s son, and
all their substance that they

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had gathered.
And the souls that they had

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gotten in here, and they went
forth to go into the land of

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Canaan and into the land of
Canaan they came.

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So you notice.
How?

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The end of verse five is almost
redundant.

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They went to go into the land of
Canaan, OK?

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I would expect that they.
Went into the land of Canaan

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then but.
The rest of the verse.

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Says and into the land of Canaan
they came, and Abram passed

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through the land unto the place.
Of Shechem, unto the oak.

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Of Moray, and the Canaanite was
then in the land.

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Well, wouldn’t you expect?
That if they went into the land

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of Canaan.
Verse five that it’s logical

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that the people.
That you would find would be

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Canaanites.
Yeah, I arrived.

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Here on Friday night in the land
of Newfoundland.

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I expected that when I got to
Newfoundland I would find

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Newfies.
Of course, when he’s going into

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the land of Canaan, he’s going
to find Canaanites.

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Why is the record?
Emphasizing this.

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Well, it says.
At the end of verse 6 and the

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Canaanite was then in the land.
And then verse 7 Yahweh appeared

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unto Abram and said unto.
Thy seed will I give this land.

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But it’s absolutely swarming
with.

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Canaanites.
So what are you going to do?

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Abram, are you going to believe
God?

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Who’s told you that?
He will.

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Give you this land as a
possession, or you can look

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around you and see all the
Canaanites.

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You’re going to look around and
see all the people in the world

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and everything seemingly so
permanent.

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Are you going to mingle?
Yourselves with the Canaanites.

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Or are you going to?
Believe God and the promise.

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That he has made to you and he
made.

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That particular choice.
At Shechem, What did Abraham?

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Decide.
Well, it says there.

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At the end of verse 7 and there
builded he an altar unto.

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Yahweh who appeared unto him.
He had a choice.

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He could either.
Separate from the Canaanites.

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Or he could assimilate with the
Canaanites, and there Abram

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made.
That decision to keep separate

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he.
Builded an altar unto Yahweh.

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And so enshrined in this.
Place of Shechem is the.

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Principle of decision.
God created this place almost to

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teach.
This important lesson and ever

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after, whenever anybody came to
Shechem in the record.

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Of scripture we find that.
They had an important decision

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to make.
Either to choose life or.

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To choose death.
Abraham comes here in Genesis.

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Chapter 12.
He’s got a choice the.

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Canaanite is then in the land.
Do we believe God or do we?

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Mingle with the Canaanites in
Genesis chapter 30. 4 and 35

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Jacob.
And his family came here.

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They were coming back from
Paden.

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Aram after he had served.
At his Uncle Laban’s.

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House for 40 years.
And he said to his.

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Family at Shechem put away the
strange gods.

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That are among you do it here
at.

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Shechem.
Of course they were.

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Coming back with some Lucky
Charms that they had gotten in

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the land of Paden, Arim and
Jacob said to his family.

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We’re going up to the House of
God.

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We’re going up to Bethel.
Put him away, right?

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Here at Shechem, it was of
course at.

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Shechem where Dinah made her
decision to go out and see the

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daughters of the Lamb in Genesis
chapter. 37 Joseph went to keep

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his father’s flock at Shechem,
the record says.

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And he goes to find his brothers
and and they’ve.

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Disappeared they had gone to.
Dothan a word which means two

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wells.
You see, they wanted it both

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ways that.
Took place.

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In Genesis chapter 37 at
Shechem, he came to seek his.

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Brethren.
And he didn’t find them.

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When the children of Israel came
into the land, Moses.

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Gave Joshua very clear
instructions.

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He says the day you crossover.
Into the land.

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You take the.
People to Shechem.

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And there you chant the
blessings and the cursings, and

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you tell Israel that they’ve got
to make up.

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Their mind 6 tribes.
On Evil 6 on Gerizim.

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Make up your mind.
Who is it?

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That you are going.
To serve.

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We’re not done yet.
Joshua Chapter 24, when Joshua

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was giving his famous farewell.
Speech to the people.

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He took the people.
Back to Shechem.

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And there, he said, Choose.
You this day.

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Whom ye will serve?
Put away.

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The strange.
Gods that your father served.

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On the other.
Side of the flood.

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Choose you.
This day and he told them that.

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Here at Shechem.
In Judges Chapter 9, we’re going

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to read about a man named Jotham
whose name means.

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Yahweh is upright.
This Bramble king Abimelech had

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made himself king after.
The death of Gideon.

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He had slain the 69 sons of
Gideon and proclaimed himself a

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king.
And Jotham escaped, and he ran

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up on top of Mount Gerizim, and
he gave the men of Shechem a

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charge.
Who do you want?

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Do you want to follow?
In the ways of my.

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00:12:50,160 –> 00:12:52,960
Father.
Or do you want this Bramble King

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00:12:53,480 –> 00:12:55,560
Abimelech and in order to do
that he?

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00:12:55,560 –> 00:12:57,640
Called out.
From the top of Mount Gerizim at

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00:12:57,640 –> 00:13:01,880
Shechem and the men of Shechem.
There, had to make up.

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00:13:02,240 –> 00:13:06,680
Their mind.
Is it any wonder then, why when

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00:13:06,680 –> 00:13:10,840
Rehoboam was crowned king?
They took him to Shechem.

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00:13:12,320 –> 00:13:14,080
Even though he was going to go
down to Jerusalem.

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00:13:14,080 –> 00:13:17,280
And sit on David’s throne, they
took him to that.

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00:13:17,280 –> 00:13:21,240
Place to.
Shechem that there he might.

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00:13:21,240 –> 00:13:25,800
Be made king.
That was where Jesus.

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00:13:25,800 –> 00:13:29,880
Met the woman of Samaria.
And she said.

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00:13:29,880 –> 00:13:31,280
To him, our father said.
It was in that.

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00:13:31,280 –> 00:13:32,560
Mountain that you ought to.
Worship.

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00:13:33,120 –> 00:13:36,120
What do you say?
And he said salvation.

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00:13:36,560 –> 00:13:39,960
Is of the Jews.
You need to make.

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00:13:39,960 –> 00:13:42,600
Up your mind who it is that
you’re going to.

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00:13:42,600 –> 00:13:45,720
Worship, whether it’s the
plethora of the gods of.

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00:13:45,720 –> 00:13:49,440
The Samaritans or the One?
True God of Israel.

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00:13:50,000 –> 00:13:52,160
She had to make up her mind in
that place.

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00:13:52,160 –> 00:13:55,840
So in both Old and New
Testaments we see that this

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00:13:55,840 –> 00:13:58,560
principle is made.
Very, very clear at.

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00:13:58,560 –> 00:14:01,520
This one little.
Place right in the middle of the

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00:14:01,520 –> 00:14:03,720
lane.
Called Shechem and.

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00:14:04,160 –> 00:14:05,840
It reminds us.
Brothers and sisters.

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00:14:06,640 –> 00:14:10,000
That each day we also.
Have to come to Shechem.

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00:14:11,200 –> 00:14:15,360
We have to make up our.
Minds who it is that we are

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00:14:15,360 –> 00:14:18,720
going to follow.
Whether we’re going to follow?

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00:14:18,720 –> 00:14:22,440
Our own instincts.
The gods that we served before

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00:14:22,440 –> 00:14:26,480
we were baptized or?
Whether we’re going to pitch

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00:14:26,480 –> 00:14:27,920
our.
Tent and build an altar.

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00:14:29,320 –> 00:14:31,440
Unto Yahweh as Abram.
Did and.

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00:14:31,880 –> 00:14:35,240
You know you’ll find that in all
of these events.

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00:14:35,720 –> 00:14:38,680
There are connections.
It’s not just that they happened

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00:14:38,680 –> 00:14:42,160
in the same place, but there are
word connections.

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00:14:42,320 –> 00:14:47,400
There are thematic connections
between all of these events.

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00:14:47,600 –> 00:14:50,440
You’ll find that Jacob.
In Genesis chapter 35.

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00:14:51,080 –> 00:14:52,720
Draws on the incident of
Genesis.

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00:14:52,720 –> 00:14:56,560
Chapter 12 You’ll find that.
Joshua and Joshua, 24.

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00:14:56,560 –> 00:15:00,320
Quotes from Jacob in Genesis
chapter 35.

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00:15:00,800 –> 00:15:05,040
We’ll find that Abimelech in
Judges Chapter 9.

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00:15:05,040 –> 00:15:08,800
When he wanted to make himself
king, he went back to Genesis 12

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00:15:08,960 –> 00:15:13,240
in order to give his New Kingdom
quote, UN quote some legitimacy.

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00:15:14,160 –> 00:15:15,160
And so they’re.
All.

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00:15:15,720 –> 00:15:18,520
Connected.
So God took this one place in

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00:15:18,520 –> 00:15:21,080
the land.
Right in the very.

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00:15:21,080 –> 00:15:25,800
Center and memorialized this
principle.

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00:15:26,280 –> 00:15:28,600
It’s something that we all.
Understand but God.

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00:15:28,600 –> 00:15:30,120
Gave us all of these.
Events at.

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00:15:30,120 –> 00:15:34,680
Shechem to remind us.
Of what we must do each and

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00:15:34,680 –> 00:15:36,560
every day.
Let’s just look.

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00:15:36,560 –> 00:15:40,120
At some of the parallels.
That we find in these incidents

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00:15:40,480 –> 00:15:43,080
come firstly to that one there
in the center in Joshua Chapter

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00:15:43,080 –> 00:15:55,640
24, You know the Tabernacle
during the time of Joshua and.

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00:15:55,640 –> 00:16:00,400
Judges was at Shiloh Shiloh.
Is maybe about 20 miles South of

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00:16:00,400 –> 00:16:03,600
Shechem.
Since that was where the.

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00:16:03,600 –> 00:16:05,080
Tabernacle was you would think
that.

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00:16:05,080 –> 00:16:07,000
Joshua would have.
Gathered all the people together

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00:16:07,000 –> 00:16:14,040
to Shiloh but Joshua chapter. 24
And verse one tells us and.

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00:16:14,040 –> 00:16:17,840
Joshua gathered all the tribes.
Of Israel to Shechem.

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00:16:20,400 –> 00:16:22,280
And called.
For the elders of Israel.

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00:16:23,160 –> 00:16:25,760
And for their heads and for
their judges.

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00:16:25,760 –> 00:16:29,520
And for their officers, and they
presented themselves before.

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00:16:29,520 –> 00:16:32,960
God, Joshua said.
Unto all the people thus saith

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00:16:32,960 –> 00:16:35,320
Yahweh elohim of.
Israel, your father’s dwelt on

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00:16:35,320 –> 00:16:36,000
the other.
Side of the.

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00:16:36,000 –> 00:16:39,440
Flood in old time, even Terah,
the father of Abraham.

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00:16:39,880 –> 00:16:42,840
The Father of Nahor and they.
Served other gods.

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00:16:42,840 –> 00:16:46,000
So he takes them back.
Here to the initial call of

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00:16:46,000 –> 00:16:48,800
Abraham in Genesis chapter. 12
And where was the 1st place that

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00:16:48,800 –> 00:16:50,520
Abram?
Came to in Genesis.

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00:16:50,520 –> 00:16:55,200
Chapter 12 it was.
Shechem, look down at verse 14.

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00:16:56,560 –> 00:16:59,120
He now gives.
Them a charge having recounted.

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00:16:59,120 –> 00:17:04,000
Some of their history to them in
verses 2 to 14 verse 14 says now

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00:17:04,000 –> 00:17:06,880
therefore fear.
Yahweh and serve.

297
00:17:06,880 –> 00:17:12,119
Him in sincerity and in.
Truth and put away.

298
00:17:13,200 –> 00:17:16,079
The gods which your father
served on the other.

299
00:17:16,079 –> 00:17:18,880
Side of the flood in.
Egypt and serve.

300
00:17:18,920 –> 00:17:21,480
Ye Yahweh, it’s very.
Similar to the choice that.

301
00:17:21,480 –> 00:17:23,720
Abraham had to make in Genesis
chapter 12.

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00:17:23,720 –> 00:17:26,960
Isn’t it either the Canaanite?
Or Yahweh.

303
00:17:27,800 –> 00:17:31,040
And if it seemed evil unto.
You to serve Yahweh choose you

304
00:17:31,120 –> 00:17:33,400
this day.
Whom ye?

305
00:17:33,480 –> 00:17:35,360
Will serve, and he said that
here, Shechem.

306
00:17:36,480 –> 00:17:37,920
Because Shechem’s all about
having to make a.

307
00:17:37,920 –> 00:17:40,560
Choice.
Whether the gods which your

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00:17:40,560 –> 00:17:42,280
father served.
Were on the other side of the.

309
00:17:42,280 –> 00:17:44,400
Flood.
Well the gods of the Amorites,

310
00:17:44,400 –> 00:17:48,160
in whose land ye dwell, but As
for me and my house?

311
00:17:48,440 –> 00:17:52,240
We will serve Yahweh, so we told
the people.

312
00:17:52,240 –> 00:17:53,840
There in verse 14 to.
Serve.

313
00:17:53,880 –> 00:18:00,240
God in sincerity and in.
Truth now those two.

314
00:18:00,240 –> 00:18:02,960
Words.
Very often come up.

315
00:18:03,800 –> 00:18:08,920
In the History of Shechem.
Serve him in sincerity the the

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00:18:08,920 –> 00:18:10,120
word actually means to be
without.

317
00:18:10,120 –> 00:18:13,080
Wax.
To be completely crystal clear.

318
00:18:13,720 –> 00:18:16,200
And in truth, the word means to
be straight.

319
00:18:16,200 –> 00:18:18,600
Up and down it’s where?
You’ve got to make a.

320
00:18:18,600 –> 00:18:19,840
Firm.
Choice.

321
00:18:20,200 –> 00:18:22,840
What you want to do now, just
come.

322
00:18:22,840 –> 00:18:26,360
Over a few pages.
To judges Chapter 9, let’s come

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00:18:26,360 –> 00:18:29,120
to the next event that took.
Place there at Shechem.

324
00:18:31,280 –> 00:18:42,400
Gideon has died, and one of his.
Sons, Abimelech now makes

325
00:18:42,400 –> 00:18:45,720
himself a king.
You know, we want to to learn in

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00:18:45,720 –> 00:18:48,480
Sunday school and and we teach
our our Sunday school students.

327
00:18:48,480 –> 00:18:50,880
That Saul.
Was the first king of Israel.

328
00:18:51,480 –> 00:18:53,040
And of course.
He was.

329
00:18:53,040 –> 00:18:55,920
He was the 1st.
Divinely appointed king of

330
00:18:55,920 –> 00:18:57,200
Israel.
But you know there was a king in

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00:18:57,200 –> 00:18:58,840
the land of.
Israel long before Saul.

332
00:19:00,040 –> 00:19:02,640
He was an impostor, a self
appointed king.

333
00:19:02,640 –> 00:19:05,560
His name was Abimelech in the
The Cycle.

334
00:19:05,560 –> 00:19:07,800
Of the judges he.
Happens to be the 6th.

335
00:19:08,840 –> 00:19:10,720
Judge.
Because he.

336
00:19:10,720 –> 00:19:15,040
Represents the man of Sid, and
he stands up and he proclaims

337
00:19:15,040 –> 00:19:18,600
himself a king, and he says in
verse two of Judges Chapter 9,

338
00:19:18,600 –> 00:19:22,080
Speak, I pray you in the ears of
all the men of Shechem, whether

339
00:19:22,080 –> 00:19:23,600
it’s better for.
You other than all the.

340
00:19:23,600 –> 00:19:28,200
Sons of Jeroboel, which are 70.
Reign over you or that one

341
00:19:28,360 –> 00:19:29,160
reign.
Over.

342
00:19:29,160 –> 00:19:32,440
You remember that also?
That I am your bone and your

343
00:19:32,600 –> 00:19:34,080
flesh.
You know, do we really need?

344
00:19:34,080 –> 00:19:35,840
70 people to to lead us.
Why?

345
00:19:35,840 –> 00:19:39,240
Can’t we just have one?
So he stands up and he makes

346
00:19:39,240 –> 00:19:43,320
himself a king, and in order to
give some sort of legitimacy to

347
00:19:43,320 –> 00:19:47,680
this new quote UN quote Kingdom
that Abimelech was establishing.

348
00:19:48,200 –> 00:19:51,240
Look where he goes.
Verse 6.

349
00:19:52,240 –> 00:19:56,240
And all the men of Shechem
gathered together, and all the.

350
00:19:56,240 –> 00:20:00,080
House of Milo.
And went and made Abimelech king

351
00:20:00,480 –> 00:20:06,000
by the plain of the pillar.
That was in Shechem.

352
00:20:06,000 –> 00:20:09,600
Now if you have a margin.
For that phrase by the.

353
00:20:09,600 –> 00:20:11,440
Plane.
Of the.

354
00:20:11,440 –> 00:20:12,840
Pillar.
You’ll see that the.

355
00:20:12,840 –> 00:20:20,640
Margin has. #5 or by the?
Oak of the pillar.

356
00:20:21,000 –> 00:20:23,000
So he was made king.
By the.

357
00:20:23,240 –> 00:20:27,680
Oak of the pillar.
Now where have we read in

358
00:20:27,680 –> 00:20:30,680
scripture?
About an oak at Shechem.

359
00:20:32,520 –> 00:20:34,360
Well, it.
Was back in Genesis chapter. 12

360
00:20:35,080 –> 00:20:36,720
and verse. 6 Where it says
Abram.

361
00:20:36,720 –> 00:20:40,720
Passed through the land unto the
place of Shechem unto the.

362
00:20:42,120 –> 00:20:46,400
Oak of Moray, the Word.
Plain as it is in the AV.

363
00:20:46,400 –> 00:20:48,800
Really should be rendered as
oak.

364
00:20:49,320 –> 00:20:52,960
So it was likely that.
Same oak that Abimelech now

365
00:20:52,960 –> 00:20:57,560
comes and he makes himself king
over the land he wanted to give.

366
00:20:57,560 –> 00:20:59,840
Some sort of legitimacy to his
Kingdom, so he.

367
00:20:59,840 –> 00:21:02,120
Goes back to the very place
where Abraham.

368
00:21:04,040 –> 00:21:07,880
Was first called and 1st brought
that he might say.

369
00:21:08,000 –> 00:21:11,800
Now I am king.
Well, the men of Shechem have to

370
00:21:11,800 –> 00:21:14,920
make up their mind.
Who is it are you going to

371
00:21:14,920 –> 00:21:16,600
serve?
Is it this new Bramble King of

372
00:21:16,600 –> 00:21:18,720
Emelec?
Or is it?

373
00:21:18,720 –> 00:21:20,320
Going to be Yahweh, who our
father.

374
00:21:20,320 –> 00:21:23,720
Gideon stood with Gideon said.
I’m not going to rule over.

375
00:21:23,720 –> 00:21:27,360
You, Yahweh, shall rule over
you.

376
00:21:28,000 –> 00:21:33,400
And so when Jotham who’s the one
son left, the other 69 are dead.

377
00:21:34,200 –> 00:21:36,160
Jotham.
Whose name means.

378
00:21:36,160 –> 00:21:38,400
Yahweh is upright He.
Stands up in verse 7.

379
00:21:39,080 –> 00:21:40,920
And he goes.
To the top of Gerizim.

380
00:21:42,040 –> 00:21:44,120
And lifted up his voice and.
Cried and said hearken.

381
00:21:44,120 –> 00:21:49,640
Unto me ye men of Shechem, that
God may hearken unto you.

382
00:21:50,760 –> 00:21:54,240
Verse 17 My father fought for
you, and hazarded his life, and

383
00:21:54,240 –> 00:21:56,480
delivered you out of the hand of
Midian.

384
00:21:57,240 –> 00:22:00,040
Verse 18 And you are risen up
against my father’s house.

385
00:22:00,040 –> 00:22:00,280
This.
Day.

386
00:22:00,280 –> 00:22:01,800
See Abimelech.
Was rebelling against?

387
00:22:01,800 –> 00:22:05,240
The House of Gideon.
And have slain his sons 3 score

388
00:22:05,240 –> 00:22:08,760
and 10 persons upon one stone,
and have made Abimelech the son

389
00:22:08,760 –> 00:22:11,200
of his maidservant king over the
men of Shechem.

390
00:22:11,920 –> 00:22:16,360
Because he is your brother.
If then where do these words

391
00:22:16,360 –> 00:22:19,440
come from?
If, then ye have done.

392
00:22:19,600 –> 00:22:23,160
Truly.
And sincerely.

393
00:22:23,160 –> 00:22:25,160
With Jeroboel and with his.
House this day.

394
00:22:25,400 –> 00:22:27,000
Then rejoice, she with
Abimelech, if that’s who you

395
00:22:27,000 –> 00:22:28,520
want.
To serve, serve.

396
00:22:28,520 –> 00:22:32,680
Him But if not verse 20 let fire
come out from Abimelech, and

397
00:22:32,680 –> 00:22:36,560
devour the men of Shechem and
Jotham ran away in verse 21, and

398
00:22:36,560 –> 00:22:38,920
he flees.
So he left the men of Shechem

399
00:22:38,920 –> 00:22:42,040
before he went away.
With that choice, do you want

400
00:22:42,040 –> 00:22:43,800
to?
Serve this Bramble King

401
00:22:43,800 –> 00:22:47,880
Abimelech.
Or do you want to serve God in

402
00:22:47,880 –> 00:22:51,440
sincerity and in truth?
And he was quoting.

403
00:22:51,680 –> 00:22:55,640
From Joshua’s speech.
In Joshua chapter 24.

404
00:22:55,960 –> 00:22:59,240
So not only is there the
principle of choice here at

405
00:22:59,240 –> 00:23:00,640
Shechem, but.
You’ve also got to do.

406
00:23:00,640 –> 00:23:05,800
It in sincerity and in truth.
Not in malice or in wickedness,

407
00:23:05,800 –> 00:23:09,960
but in sincerity and in truth,
and as we’ll see in a moment

408
00:23:09,960 –> 00:23:11,280
there.
Are consequences to that

409
00:23:11,280 –> 00:23:16,080
decision as there are
consequences to all of the

410
00:23:16,080 –> 00:23:18,080
decisions.
That we make and we need to.

411
00:23:18,080 –> 00:23:21,840
Take those in mind when we make.
The decisions that.

412
00:23:21,840 –> 00:23:24,480
We do, John.
Chapter 4.

413
00:23:25,520 –> 00:23:27,040
You know the Lord.
Jesus Christ said.

414
00:23:27,880 –> 00:23:32,920
With all of this history.
In mind I must needs go through

415
00:23:33,640 –> 00:23:36,400
Samaria you know that wasn’t the
normal.

416
00:23:36,400 –> 00:23:39,840
Route that you would take.
To go back home to Galilee.

417
00:23:41,280 –> 00:23:45,480
You would go over.
To Parea, to the land across and

418
00:23:45,480 –> 00:23:47,680
then go up the eastern side of
the Jordan.

419
00:23:47,680 –> 00:23:50,920
But he said.
I must needs go through.

420
00:23:50,920 –> 00:23:54,280
Samaria, I’ve got to go.
Through Shechem.

421
00:23:55,360 –> 00:24:00,200
John chapter 4 and verse.
Three, he left Judea.

422
00:24:01,000 –> 00:24:05,800
And departed again into Galilee,
and he must needs.

423
00:24:05,840 –> 00:24:09,760
Go through Samaria.
Then cometh he to a city of

424
00:24:09,760 –> 00:24:12,240
Samaria, which.
Is called Cycar.

425
00:24:12,240 –> 00:24:14,920
But that should be rendered
Shechem and we know that.

426
00:24:14,920 –> 00:24:18,080
It’s shechem because it says.
It’s near to the parcel of

427
00:24:18,080 –> 00:24:19,720
ground.
That Jacob.

428
00:24:19,720 –> 00:24:22,280
Gave to his son Joseph, and of
course the the.

429
00:24:22,280 –> 00:24:24,440
Parcel of ground that Jacob.
Bought where?

430
00:24:24,520 –> 00:24:26,640
Joseph.
Was buried according to Genesis.

431
00:24:26,640 –> 00:24:28,400
Chapter 33 was up there at
Shechem.

432
00:24:29,920 –> 00:24:33,680
Now Jacob’s.
Well, was there Jesus?

433
00:24:33,680 –> 00:24:36,200
Therefore being wearied with his
journey.

434
00:24:36,360 –> 00:24:39,440
Sat thus.
On that well, look.

435
00:24:39,440 –> 00:24:42,120
Look at how that’s put.
He sat thus.

436
00:24:42,960 –> 00:24:44,160
On that well knowing.
That this.

437
00:24:44,160 –> 00:24:46,200
Place was saturated with
history.

438
00:24:47,040 –> 00:24:52,400
He comes there and he sits down
and he contemplates.

439
00:24:53,520 –> 00:24:56,720
The history of that place.
Knowing all that we’ve said this

440
00:24:56,720 –> 00:25:00,680
morning, and a whole lot more.
And then a woman comes out to

441
00:25:00,680 –> 00:25:06,800
him, a woman of Samaria.
Whose life?

442
00:25:08,560 –> 00:25:12,320
Was an absolute mess.
And he starts.

443
00:25:12,320 –> 00:25:14,400
Speaking to her about water,
after all, he’s.

444
00:25:14,400 –> 00:25:16,920
Sitting upon Jacob’s well, and
he’s going.

445
00:25:16,920 –> 00:25:20,520
To put before.
Her the choice that she.

446
00:25:20,520 –> 00:25:24,040
Has to make, he says in verse
13.

447
00:25:25,440 –> 00:25:27,240
Whosoever.
Drinketh of this water shall.

448
00:25:27,240 –> 00:25:31,120
Thirst again but.
Whosoever drinketh of the water.

449
00:25:31,120 –> 00:25:32,480
That I shall give him shall
never.

450
00:25:32,480 –> 00:25:35,680
Thirst but the water?
That I shall give him shall be

451
00:25:35,680 –> 00:25:37,280
in him a well of.
Water.

452
00:25:37,280 –> 00:25:42,680
Springing up into everlasting
life, the woman said unto him.

453
00:25:42,680 –> 00:25:44,800
Sir.
Give me.

454
00:25:44,800 –> 00:25:46,800
This water that I thirst.
Not.

455
00:25:47,080 –> 00:25:48,160
Neither come hit her to.
Draw.

456
00:25:48,200 –> 00:25:50,000
You see, she wants the water.
Of life.

457
00:25:52,640 –> 00:25:54,000
So that she won’t thirst.
Again.

458
00:25:54,000 –> 00:25:57,880
And that she won’t have to keep
coming back here and drawing

459
00:25:57,880 –> 00:25:59,480
water.
See, she she’s trying to come to

460
00:25:59,480 –> 00:26:01,360
grips with just what the Lord is
saying here.

461
00:26:01,360 –> 00:26:03,920
What is he talking about?
The water that I shall.

462
00:26:03,920 –> 00:26:08,960
Give if you drink it.
You will never thirst again.

463
00:26:09,280 –> 00:26:11,000
What does he mean by?
That so, she says.

464
00:26:11,000 –> 00:26:15,120
I I want the water.
But we don’t.

465
00:26:15,120 –> 00:26:19,200
Get something for nothing.
In the truth, everything comes.

466
00:26:19,440 –> 00:26:24,360
With a price.
Everything comes with probation

467
00:26:24,360 –> 00:26:27,040
and testing, so Jesus gives her
a test.

468
00:26:27,040 –> 00:26:30,040
And he says.
Go get your husband.

469
00:26:34,000 –> 00:26:36,680
My husband.
Yes, go get your husband.

470
00:26:36,800 –> 00:26:38,800
For 16 and and and come hit.
Her.

471
00:26:39,200 –> 00:26:40,200
So what’s?
She going to do?

472
00:26:42,280 –> 00:26:44,720
She’s got quite a checkered
history.

473
00:26:46,760 –> 00:26:49,000
Well, she decided to tell the
truth.

474
00:26:51,320 –> 00:26:56,120
Verse 17, The woman answered and
said, I have no husband.

475
00:26:58,240 –> 00:27:00,000
Jesus said unto her, Thou.
Hast well, said I.

476
00:27:00,000 –> 00:27:02,960
Have no husband for.
Thou hast had five husbands.

477
00:27:02,960 –> 00:27:05,200
And he whom thou now hastest
not.

478
00:27:05,480 –> 00:27:08,640
Thy husband, in that thou
saidest.

479
00:27:08,640 –> 00:27:11,640
Now notice this.
Word truly.

480
00:27:14,520 –> 00:27:20,600
In.
That sense thou truly she had a

481
00:27:20,600 –> 00:27:23,640
choice.
She could either tell the truth

482
00:27:26,720 –> 00:27:27,920
or she could.
Spin a lie.

483
00:27:29,360 –> 00:27:32,320
She decided to tell the.
Truth, I have no.

484
00:27:32,320 –> 00:27:36,720
Husband, he said.
You’ve said truly.

485
00:27:37,560 –> 00:27:40,200
And of course, the great.
Issue of the day was where is

486
00:27:40,200 –> 00:27:44,600
the true place of worship?
Is it in Samaria here, or is it

487
00:27:44,600 –> 00:27:48,120
in Jerusalem?
He says to in verse 22.

488
00:27:48,760 –> 00:27:51,400
Woman, ye worship.
Ye know not what we know, what

489
00:27:51,400 –> 00:27:54,440
we worship.
For salvation is out of.

490
00:27:55,120 –> 00:27:58,240
The Jews.
Not that it’s restricted.

491
00:27:58,680 –> 00:28:00,240
Only to.
Jews, but that it’s only

492
00:28:00,240 –> 00:28:02,520
available to Gentiles through
the Jewish.

493
00:28:02,520 –> 00:28:06,000
Channel and you need to come to.
Grips with that.

494
00:28:06,000 –> 00:28:08,960
Salvation is out.
Of the Jews.

495
00:28:09,280 –> 00:28:11,280
But the hour?
Cometh and now is when the

496
00:28:11,640 –> 00:28:15,480
notice this true.
Worshippers shall worship the

497
00:28:15,480 –> 00:28:17,840
Father.
In spirit and in.

498
00:28:17,840 –> 00:28:21,840
Truth, Joshua and Jotham.
Said in sincerity and in.

499
00:28:22,240 –> 00:28:24,800
Truth.
For the father seeketh such.

500
00:28:25,400 –> 00:28:30,280
To worship him God is spirit and
they that worship.

501
00:28:30,280 –> 00:28:32,880
Him.
Must do so in spirit.

502
00:28:33,280 –> 00:28:36,360
And in truth, and they had.
To he said that.

503
00:28:37,520 –> 00:28:41,840
She had to make up her mind.
Here at Shechem in this place.

504
00:28:42,120 –> 00:28:46,640
Serve him in sincerity and in.
Truth.

505
00:28:47,240 –> 00:28:48,640
So it should.
Come as no surprise.

506
00:28:48,640 –> 00:28:53,240
To you, brothers and sisters,
that the word Shechem literally.

507
00:28:53,240 –> 00:28:57,320
Means burden bearer.
If you were to.

508
00:28:57,760 –> 00:28:59,640
Sort of.
Boil it down to its actual

509
00:28:59,640 –> 00:29:01,400
Hebrew.
It means between the shoulders.

510
00:29:01,400 –> 00:29:04,000
And if you look at Shechem here.
You see it looks like 2

511
00:29:04,000 –> 00:29:05,480
shoulders there’s.
Evil.

512
00:29:06,120 –> 00:29:08,920
There’s Gerizim, There’s Shechem
in the middle.

513
00:29:09,000 –> 00:29:12,960
It looks like 2 shoulders.
Where you’ve got to make.

514
00:29:12,960 –> 00:29:14,680
Up your mind, you’ve got to.
Bare.

515
00:29:14,840 –> 00:29:17,520
Responsibility.
Life is not about.

516
00:29:17,520 –> 00:29:19,360
Avoiding.
Our responsibilities life is

517
00:29:19,360 –> 00:29:22,240
about.
Accepting our responsibilities

518
00:29:22,520 –> 00:29:24,360
and Shechem reminds.
Us.

519
00:29:24,720 –> 00:29:27,720
Of that the word.
Is only used a handful of times

520
00:29:28,040 –> 00:29:29,320
in Scripture.
It’s first use of.

521
00:29:29,320 –> 00:29:31,800
Shem and Japheth, who Who put a
garment?

522
00:29:31,800 –> 00:29:36,080
Upon their shoulder and covered.
The the nakedness.

523
00:29:36,480 –> 00:29:39,480
Of their father.
And it’s a word that.

524
00:29:39,480 –> 00:29:40,840
Speaks.
Brothers and sisters about

525
00:29:40,840 –> 00:29:46,720
accepting.
Responsibility about saying yes.

526
00:29:47,520 –> 00:29:54,200
Here am I send me.
The way might be difficult, but

527
00:29:54,200 –> 00:29:57,280
I’m going to accept my
responsibilities.

528
00:29:57,400 –> 00:30:00,400
That’s the principle of Shechem,
and perhaps its most famous

529
00:30:00,400 –> 00:30:03,440
occurrence.
Is in Isaiah Chapter 9 in a

530
00:30:03,440 –> 00:30:04,800
passage that I think we all
know.

531
00:30:05,240 –> 00:30:10,520
Isaiah Chapter 9 speaking about
the Lord Jesus Christ and his

532
00:30:10,520 –> 00:30:13,720
Kingdom.
Where he will faithfully accept

533
00:30:13,720 –> 00:30:15,640
the responsibilities that his
father.

534
00:30:16,080 –> 00:30:19,720
Has committed into his hand.
And the word that Isaiah.

535
00:30:19,720 –> 00:30:22,400
Chooses here the spirit through
Isaiah.

536
00:30:22,400 –> 00:30:28,480
Chooses, fittingly, is Shechem.
Firstly, he’s going to have to.

537
00:30:28,480 –> 00:30:33,120
Deal as we know.
With the Assyrian, the Russian.

538
00:30:33,920 –> 00:30:36,160
Isaiah Chapter 9 and verse.
Four for thou hast.

539
00:30:36,160 –> 00:30:40,120
Broken the yoke of his burden
and the staff of.

540
00:30:40,120 –> 00:30:43,040
His Shechem.
The word shoulder there in verse

541
00:30:43,040 –> 00:30:45,640
four is Shechem.
The rod of his oppressor.

542
00:30:45,640 –> 00:30:50,200
As in the day of Midian.
Verse 6 For unto us a child is.

543
00:30:50,200 –> 00:30:55,840
Born, and unto us a son is
given, and the government, the

544
00:30:55,840 –> 00:30:58,800
government of the Kingdom, age.
Will be upon.

545
00:30:58,800 –> 00:31:04,840
His shechem, his shoulder, He
will faithfully bear the

546
00:31:04,840 –> 00:31:08,280
responsibilities of the.
Kingdom of the Millennial age.

547
00:31:08,680 –> 00:31:10,640
He will be the.
Father of.

548
00:31:10,680 –> 00:31:12,160
The millennial age as the
phrase.

549
00:31:12,360 –> 00:31:15,440
Everlasting Father.
There means the father of.

550
00:31:15,560 –> 00:31:18,080
The age.
And the Lord Jesus Christ.

551
00:31:18,080 –> 00:31:23,800
Will deal faithfully he will.
Bear on his shechem the

552
00:31:23,800 –> 00:31:26,480
responsibilities that his
father.

553
00:31:27,480 –> 00:31:30,640
Has given to him until the end
of the thousand years when he

554
00:31:30,640 –> 00:31:33,720
will hand.
That back over to the Father.

555
00:31:34,520 –> 00:31:37,560
That the Father might be all and
in all.

556
00:31:38,840 –> 00:31:40,360
So I think.
We see that principle, brothers

557
00:31:40,360 –> 00:31:41,880
and sisters.
Very clearly before us, we.

558
00:31:41,880 –> 00:31:44,080
Have to make up our minds who it
is.

559
00:31:44,080 –> 00:31:49,360
That we’re going to.
Serve the land reinforces.

560
00:31:49,840 –> 00:31:52,040
All of the principles.
Of our daily lives.

561
00:31:53,840 –> 00:31:55,160
Whenever I’m in.
Difficulty.

562
00:31:56,000 –> 00:31:58,000
You can almost.
Think about a place in the land

563
00:31:58,000 –> 00:32:02,760
that reminds you of the decision
that you have to make, or the

564
00:32:02,760 –> 00:32:06,160
position that you’re in.
God has given us the land to

565
00:32:06,160 –> 00:32:07,600
remind.
Us of our.

566
00:32:07,600 –> 00:32:10,520
Lessons now with every choice as
we know.

567
00:32:11,440 –> 00:32:15,880
There are consequences we don’t.
Just make decisions and then

568
00:32:15,880 –> 00:32:20,360
nothing happens.
God is going to judge us based

569
00:32:20,360 –> 00:32:23,840
upon the decisions that we make.
Well, in order that.

570
00:32:23,840 –> 00:32:26,600
We might be reminded.
Of that, there are two mountains

571
00:32:27,000 –> 00:32:32,400
at Shechem, you’ll see.
Here this is Mount Ebal and this

572
00:32:32,400 –> 00:32:38,920
is Mount Gerizim and Mount Evil.
Is the hill of cursing.

573
00:32:40,200 –> 00:32:43,360
Mount Gerizim here.
Is the hill of.

574
00:32:43,360 –> 00:32:45,880
Blessing, you know in Genesis
chapter. 12 When Abraham comes

575
00:32:45,880 –> 00:32:49,480
to Shechem, he comes.
To Shechem right after he’s told

576
00:32:50,600 –> 00:32:54,200
I will bless.
Them that bless thee, and curse

577
00:32:54,200 –> 00:32:56,120
him that curseth thee.
And there we find those two

578
00:32:56,120 –> 00:32:57,400
mountains.
So the.

579
00:32:58,560 –> 00:33:01,320
Israelites, when they came into
the land, put 6 tribes on evil,

580
00:33:01,680 –> 00:33:03,640
6 on Gerizim, and in the middle
they.

581
00:33:04,880 –> 00:33:07,280
Were able to hear each other and
echo the.

582
00:33:07,520 –> 00:33:10,720
Blessings and the Cursings.
Of the law.

583
00:33:11,200 –> 00:33:16,120
Let’s look.
At Mount Evil, appropriately

584
00:33:16,120 –> 00:33:17,320
evil.
Means.

585
00:33:17,840 –> 00:33:20,560
To be bald.
So if we make the wrong

586
00:33:20,560 –> 00:33:23,760
decisions in our lives.
If we don’t produce fruit.

587
00:33:24,560 –> 00:33:26,960
We’re like this mountain here.
Evil.

588
00:33:27,280 –> 00:33:31,400
Means to be bald, and you can
see that most of it.

589
00:33:32,760 –> 00:33:36,160
Is dry and airy.
When you go there.

590
00:33:36,160 –> 00:33:39,800
Today it looks exactly the.
Same as it would have in the

591
00:33:39,800 –> 00:33:41,320
days when Joshua.
Took the tribes.

592
00:33:41,320 –> 00:33:45,200
There No.
Life, No.

593
00:33:45,200 –> 00:33:48,120
Vegetation.
It’s the Hill of.

594
00:33:48,120 –> 00:33:50,920
Cursing.
We can either have a.

595
00:33:50,920 –> 00:33:54,600
Blessing or a curse?
You know when.

596
00:33:54,880 –> 00:33:57,960
Joshua.
Following the instructions of

597
00:33:57,960 –> 00:33:59,320
Moses.
Took the tribes there, he put

598
00:33:59,320 –> 00:34:02,520
the altar.
Here on Gerizim.

599
00:34:02,760 –> 00:34:04,160
I mean, I’m sorry on evil, not
on.

600
00:34:04,160 –> 00:34:07,040
Gerizim because he knew the
choice that the people would

601
00:34:07,040 –> 00:34:09,199
make.
You know, Moses said after my

602
00:34:09,199 –> 00:34:10,000
departing.
I know.

603
00:34:10,000 –> 00:34:11,199
That you’ll corrupt yourselves.
And so he.

604
00:34:11,199 –> 00:34:14,520
Put the altar here on the hill
of cursing.

605
00:34:15,679 –> 00:34:18,760
Knowing, of course.
Prophetically, What choice The

606
00:34:18,760 –> 00:34:20,040
people?
Would.

607
00:34:20,120 –> 00:34:24,400
Make and evil.
Is.

608
00:34:24,760 –> 00:34:27,600
Taller, Slightly taller, maybe?
A few 100 feet.

609
00:34:27,600 –> 00:34:33,800
Taller than Gerizim?
Because as we know, many are

610
00:34:33,800 –> 00:34:37,280
called.
Few are chosen more choose.

611
00:34:37,280 –> 00:34:41,600
Cursing.
Than blessing many there be.

612
00:34:41,600 –> 00:34:44,920
That go the Broadway of
destruction few that there be.

613
00:34:44,920 –> 00:34:48,040
That find the narrow.
Way to life so evil.

614
00:34:48,360 –> 00:34:56,360
Is higher than Gerizim.
Now I wanted to show you

615
00:34:56,360 –> 00:34:58,240
something interesting about
mount able.

616
00:35:00,080 –> 00:35:01,720
Here is a map and.
As you can see.

617
00:35:01,720 –> 00:35:07,360
Here we’ve got Mount Able.
We find Mount Gerizim, Nablus,

618
00:35:07,360 –> 00:35:11,440
which is the modern name.
For Shechem is right.

619
00:35:11,440 –> 00:35:15,480
Here in the middle, Nablus was
meant to be the the equivalent

620
00:35:15,480 –> 00:35:20,360
of Naples in Italy now.
Because the Arabs can’t say.

621
00:35:20,360 –> 00:35:23,160
Pennsylvania.
They can only say Bah.

622
00:35:23,920 –> 00:35:26,760
Nablus.
The Naples became Nablus.

623
00:35:26,760 –> 00:35:30,920
It’s a it’s an Arab town today.
Now you’ll notice that just not

624
00:35:30,920 –> 00:35:33,680
far from Shechem.
Is this place called?

625
00:35:33,680 –> 00:35:38,480
Samaria So you can be here in
Samaria and look right down.

626
00:35:38,840 –> 00:35:43,400
The Valley to.
The town of Shechem, now Samaria

627
00:35:43,400 –> 00:35:47,360
as we know, became the northern,
the capital of the northern

628
00:35:47,520 –> 00:35:50,440
Kingdom of Israel.
And it was.

629
00:35:50,440 –> 00:35:54,800
Where?
A very famous king lived.

630
00:35:55,240 –> 00:35:57,720
I’d like you to come to 1st
Kings, chapter 22 and just show

631
00:35:57,720 –> 00:36:00,840
you something about the the
topography of the land which was

632
00:36:00,840 –> 00:36:04,320
almost as an indictment to this
evil king.

633
00:36:04,320 –> 00:36:07,840
His name was Ahab here in
Samaria.

634
00:36:07,840 –> 00:36:10,960
Of course, Ahab had many.
Of these palaces he.

635
00:36:10,960 –> 00:36:14,080
Had one up here in.
Jezreel by Naboth.

636
00:36:14,800 –> 00:36:19,960
And he had one here in Samaria.
Amos refers to them in his.

637
00:36:19,960 –> 00:36:21,920
Prophecy as the Winter House and
the summer.

638
00:36:21,920 –> 00:36:27,800
House when first Kings chapter
22 and verse 39 we’re.

639
00:36:27,800 –> 00:36:30,240
Told about this palace that Ahab
built.

640
00:36:31,920 –> 00:36:33,600
Now the rest.
Of the acts of Ahab.

641
00:36:33,600 –> 00:36:38,840
And all that he did, and the
ivory house which he made.

642
00:36:39,760 –> 00:36:41,680
And all the.
Cities that he built.

643
00:36:41,680 –> 00:36:44,560
Are they not written in the book
of the Chronicles of the Kings

644
00:36:45,200 –> 00:36:47,400
of Israel?
Now the interesting thing about

645
00:36:47,400 –> 00:36:49,040
that palace.
Is is that they’ve actually.

646
00:36:49,040 –> 00:36:55,280
Found it the one in.
Samaria Ahab’s ivory.

647
00:36:55,280 –> 00:36:58,800
Palace.
They’ve actually discovered this

648
00:36:58,800 –> 00:37:00,880
is the walls of Ahab’s palace.
In Samaria.

649
00:37:02,040 –> 00:37:04,160
That is Ahab’s palace
archaeologists have.

650
00:37:04,160 –> 00:37:08,080
Proven that beyond all dispute
and you know when you stand

651
00:37:08,080 –> 00:37:10,080
here.
At Ahab’s palace in.

652
00:37:10,080 –> 00:37:13,560
Samaria and you look down that
valley as we just did on our

653
00:37:13,560 –> 00:37:16,480
map.
You look down towards Shechem.

654
00:37:18,280 –> 00:37:20,680
And you look for the two
mountains Ebel and Gerazy.

655
00:37:21,560 –> 00:37:24,720
Guess which mountain is?
Glaring right at Ahab’s.

656
00:37:24,720 –> 00:37:27,400
Palace.
It’s Mount Ebel.

657
00:37:28,960 –> 00:37:33,400
Guess which mountain you cannot?
See from Ahab’s palace.

658
00:37:34,320 –> 00:37:36,640
You can’t see gerazy.
The Hill of.

659
00:37:37,520 –> 00:37:40,720
Cursing is just glaring right at
him looking.

660
00:37:40,720 –> 00:37:43,880
Right at him as an.
Indictment to that evil king who

661
00:37:44,520 –> 00:37:48,000
who brought in all of this ivory
from Africa, and had.

662
00:37:48,000 –> 00:37:50,400
Taxed the people heavily so.
That he, he and his.

663
00:37:50,400 –> 00:37:54,920
Wife could live lavishly.
When you look down the valley

664
00:37:54,920 –> 00:37:56,920
from Ahab.
‘S palace you can see evil.

665
00:37:57,960 –> 00:38:01,000
But you can’t see Gersey, almost
as an indictment to that.

666
00:38:01,000 –> 00:38:08,800
King was the land, staring right
at him, so we can have cursing.

667
00:38:09,960 –> 00:38:12,440
We all know that sin.
Brings suffering.

668
00:38:13,400 –> 00:38:16,680
If we serve the flesh.
It will only make us miserable

669
00:38:16,680 –> 00:38:18,560
in the end.
Our.

670
00:38:18,560 –> 00:38:23,720
Lives will be a mess.
We’ll be tormented or we can

671
00:38:23,720 –> 00:38:28,080
have peace, and that comes
through Gersey and the word

672
00:38:28,080 –> 00:38:30,840
Gersey means.
To be separate.

673
00:38:31,880 –> 00:38:35,560
It’s used of, sort of.
Of hedging off something, of

674
00:38:35,560 –> 00:38:38,200
separating one thing from
another, which is.

675
00:38:38,400 –> 00:38:43,280
Really the choice that.
Abram had to make separate or

676
00:38:43,280 –> 00:38:45,800
assimilate.
It’s the choice that Jacob.

677
00:38:45,800 –> 00:38:48,520
Gave his family.
Put away the strange gods.

678
00:38:48,520 –> 00:38:50,560
And.
You can go through all of the

679
00:38:50,560 –> 00:38:52,640
events at Shechem and you’ll see
that it’s.

680
00:38:52,640 –> 00:38:55,400
Blessing that comes through
separation.

681
00:38:55,520 –> 00:39:00,320
It’s greener than Mount Evil.
This is actually a.

682
00:39:00,560 –> 00:39:04,760
A drawing of Gerizim.
If you go there today, there’s

683
00:39:04,760 –> 00:39:07,840
more greenery on Gerizim than
there is on evil.

684
00:39:07,840 –> 00:39:09,840
It’s very easy to.
Detect evil because it’s just.

685
00:39:09,960 –> 00:39:12,800
Bald as can be.
But Gerizim?

686
00:39:13,200 –> 00:39:15,800
Is a little bit more lush, a
little bit more.

687
00:39:16,000 –> 00:39:21,000
Vegetation on it.
It’s the hill of blessing.

688
00:39:22,320 –> 00:39:24,000
And we’ll have a little.
Bit to say about the Hill of.

689
00:39:24,000 –> 00:39:28,200
Blessing here in a moment Jotham
went to.

690
00:39:28,200 –> 00:39:32,800
The top of Gerizy, not.
Evil to invite the men of

691
00:39:32,800 –> 00:39:37,560
Shechem to share in blessing.
You know he didn’t call out

692
00:39:37,560 –> 00:39:39,960
from.
Evil he called out from.

693
00:39:39,960 –> 00:39:41,560
Gerizim because he wanted the
men of.

694
00:39:41,560 –> 00:39:44,360
Shechem to separate.
Themselves from that Bramble

695
00:39:44,360 –> 00:39:50,200
king that they might not be
consumed and it’s shorter than

696
00:39:50,200 –> 00:39:53,920
evil.
Because fewer people choose

697
00:39:53,920 –> 00:39:55,040
life.
More people.

698
00:39:55,040 –> 00:39:58,040
Choose cursing than blessing.
And so this hill.

699
00:39:58,840 –> 00:40:01,840
Is just a little bit shorter,
although it’s right next.

700
00:40:01,840 –> 00:40:04,480
To it, it’s a.
Little bit shorter.

701
00:40:06,080 –> 00:40:08,120
So we have.
The consequences of our

702
00:40:08,120 –> 00:40:11,160
decisions, we can either have
blessing or we can have.

703
00:40:11,240 –> 00:40:13,800
Cursing now, of course we would.
All say to ourselves, we.

704
00:40:13,800 –> 00:40:16,440
Don’t want to be cursed.
We all want life.

705
00:40:17,080 –> 00:40:18,720
We all want to be in God’s
Kingdom.

706
00:40:18,720 –> 00:40:23,000
We all want to.
Receive blessing well, Shechem

707
00:40:23,080 –> 00:40:28,000
reminds us of something else.
That helps us to choose life.

708
00:40:28,560 –> 00:40:32,280
That helps us to choose.
Blessing and not cursing.

709
00:40:32,840 –> 00:40:35,680
If you come back to.
Deuteronomy, Chapter 27 and the

710
00:40:35,680 –> 00:40:38,840
reading that we had, we’re given
the list of.

711
00:40:38,840 –> 00:40:47,240
Tribes.
That were to be on mount Gerizim

712
00:40:47,240 –> 00:40:51,240
the six tribes on Gerizim and.
The six tribes that were to be.

713
00:40:51,800 –> 00:40:57,480
Upon Mount Evil verse 12.
Of Deuteronomy, chapter 27.

714
00:40:58,800 –> 00:41:02,440
These shall.
Stand upon Mount Gerizim to.

715
00:41:02,440 –> 00:41:05,720
Bless the people.
When they are come over Jordan,

716
00:41:06,800 –> 00:41:11,360
Simeon and Levi.
Judah, Issachar, Joseph and

717
00:41:11,360 –> 00:41:14,200
Benjamin.
And these shall stand upon

718
00:41:14,200 –> 00:41:15,440
mount.
Evil to curse.

719
00:41:16,280 –> 00:41:22,840
Reuben and Gad and Asher and
Zebulun, Dan and Naftalai.

720
00:41:23,800 –> 00:41:25,680
Now, have you ever wondered?
Brothers and sisters.

721
00:41:25,680 –> 00:41:29,120
Why certain tribes are?
On the hill of.

722
00:41:29,120 –> 00:41:32,600
Blessing and certain tribes are
on the hill of.

723
00:41:32,600 –> 00:41:33,800
Cursing.
I mean why were?

724
00:41:34,320 –> 00:41:37,040
Those tribes picked.
In verse 13 to be.

725
00:41:37,040 –> 00:41:40,160
On the hill of cursing.
And why was it that, you know,

726
00:41:40,160 –> 00:41:44,240
Simeon, that had such a?
Rotten history why is?

727
00:41:44,240 –> 00:41:45,920
Simeon on the hill of.
Blessing.

728
00:41:47,400 –> 00:41:51,360
I mean a few pages over in
Deuteronomy chapter 33 when the

729
00:41:51,360 –> 00:41:53,360
blessings are.
Given upon the tribes.

730
00:41:53,480 –> 00:41:58,400
Simeon’s not even mentioned.
Why is it that Simeon?

731
00:41:59,200 –> 00:42:01,280
Is placed in verse 12.
With those tribes.

732
00:42:01,280 –> 00:42:02,400
That are on the hill of
blessing?

733
00:42:03,400 –> 00:42:04,600
Well, I think.
That there’s there’s an

734
00:42:04,600 –> 00:42:07,760
important.
Principle here in these.

735
00:42:08,000 –> 00:42:11,680
Tribes I’d like to do a little.
Exercise now if I got.

736
00:42:11,680 –> 00:42:13,800
To have a volunteer pass out
some maps.

737
00:42:14,960 –> 00:42:16,520
What we’re going to do is just
going to.

738
00:42:16,760 –> 00:42:20,240
Have a look at these tribes.
And see if we can find.

739
00:42:20,240 –> 00:42:21,960
Why certain tribes?
Are on the hill of.

740
00:42:21,960 –> 00:42:24,120
Blessing and certain tribes are
on the.

741
00:42:24,520 –> 00:42:28,200
Hill of Cursing If everyone
could just take a Map and.

742
00:42:28,840 –> 00:42:30,960
If you had a coloured.
Pencil if you have a coloured

743
00:42:30,960 –> 00:42:32,760
pencil or a marker or something
like.

744
00:42:32,760 –> 00:42:35,440
That.
We’ll just do a little exercise

745
00:42:36,760 –> 00:43:01,120
with these traps.
Most of you will recognize that

746
00:43:01,120 –> 00:43:03,040
this is a map.
Of the 12 tribes.

747
00:43:03,680 –> 00:43:05,520
In the land in their.
Various portions.

748
00:43:33,110 –> 00:43:38,400
Thanks for doing that.
Now let’s just note.

749
00:43:39,200 –> 00:43:47,360
Brothers and Sisters verse 13.
Let’s note the tribes.

750
00:43:48,080 –> 00:43:54,200
That are on the hill.
Of cursing the first.

751
00:43:54,200 –> 00:43:56,640
Tribe on the hill of Cursing is
Reuben.

752
00:43:57,640 –> 00:44:00,760
Now where was Reuben located?
We know they were one of the

753
00:44:00,760 –> 00:44:03,840
tribes that were on the other.
Side of the Jordan Reuben is

754
00:44:03,840 –> 00:44:07,280
located right here.
So with a.

755
00:44:07,280 –> 00:44:11,480
Coloring in pencil or any sort
of marker, just Mark Reuben.

756
00:44:19,050 –> 00:44:22,130
The next tribe is Gad.
Now GAD is just north of.

757
00:44:22,130 –> 00:44:24,090
Reuben.
Also on the other side.

758
00:44:24,090 –> 00:44:41,920
Of the Jordan, Mark Gad.
Next tribe is Asher.

759
00:44:41,920 –> 00:44:44,320
Now Asher is on the
Northwestern.

760
00:44:44,320 –> 00:44:50,480
Side Long Mount Carmel.
All the way up to tyre right

761
00:44:50,480 –> 00:44:53,200
here.
The far north is Asher.

762
00:44:53,200 –> 00:45:03,620
Color in Asher.
The next tribe is Zebulun, so

763
00:45:03,620 –> 00:45:05,620
Zebulun.
Next to Asher.

764
00:45:06,700 –> 00:45:19,800
Right here color in Zebulun.
Dan is next.

765
00:45:19,800 –> 00:45:21,720
Now Dan is an interesting tribe
because remember their

766
00:45:21,720 –> 00:45:25,280
inheritance initially was down
here in the northern.

767
00:45:25,280 –> 00:45:29,920
Part of the Shephilah, right
where Joppa is, but what did the

768
00:45:29,920 –> 00:45:32,280
tribe?
Of Dan end up doing well, they

769
00:45:32,280 –> 00:45:35,400
abandoned the inheritance.
That God had.

770
00:45:35,400 –> 00:45:37,600
Given them and they went all the
way up here in the north.

771
00:45:38,480 –> 00:45:40,560
To laish to a people that were
weak.

772
00:45:40,880 –> 00:45:43,480
And easy to fight and.
Overcome the tribe.

773
00:45:43,480 –> 00:45:46,560
Of the Danites abandoned this
area here and they ended up.

774
00:45:47,160 –> 00:45:49,120
All the way.
Up here so this little.

775
00:45:51,520 –> 00:45:56,360
Part up here which the.
Map I believe actually

776
00:45:56,760 –> 00:45:58,520
highlights.
His Dan color in that little

777
00:45:58,520 –> 00:46:00,400
area.
Up there, you’ll recall that.

778
00:46:00,400 –> 00:46:02,400
That’s the great conflict.
Of Samson’s life.

779
00:46:03,160 –> 00:46:05,280
His tribe of the Danites.
Had failed.

780
00:46:05,280 –> 00:46:09,160
To take their inheritance down
here, and they went way up in

781
00:46:09,160 –> 00:46:10,560
the north of the land where the
pickings were.

782
00:46:10,560 –> 00:46:14,160
Easy the coloring Dan, right?
There at the very, very top.

783
00:46:17,360 –> 00:46:20,520
And then?
Lastly, the tribe of.

784
00:46:20,520 –> 00:46:24,120
Naphtalai Naphtalai is right
next to Dan.

785
00:46:24,760 –> 00:46:28,680
Here in the very, very north, in
the Galilee hills.

786
00:46:31,440 –> 00:46:33,080
All right.
Now look at your map.

787
00:46:34,560 –> 00:46:36,080
Where are the?
Tribes that are on the.

788
00:46:36,080 –> 00:46:42,160
Hill of Cursing They’re.
All on the perimeter, They’re

789
00:46:42,160 –> 00:46:44,960
all on the outside or they’re on
the.

790
00:46:45,000 –> 00:46:50,480
Other side of the Jordan where
are the tribes?

791
00:46:50,640 –> 00:46:52,880
That are on the hill.
Of blessing they’re.

792
00:46:52,880 –> 00:46:57,840
Right in the very center you
know Simeon really belongs to.

793
00:46:57,840 –> 00:47:01,120
Judah, Because they were.
Put inside the tribe of.

794
00:47:01,440 –> 00:47:04,840
Judah as punishment.
Divide them in Jacob, scatter

795
00:47:04,840 –> 00:47:07,080
them in Israel.
So Simeon, even though it had a.

796
00:47:07,080 –> 00:47:09,200
Very checkered past.
Is on the hill of.

797
00:47:09,200 –> 00:47:11,880
Blessing, of course, because it.
Belongs to Judah, which is right

798
00:47:12,240 –> 00:47:13,800
in.
The very heart.

799
00:47:14,800 –> 00:47:18,240
Of the land, so if you.
Look at the tribes, the borders

800
00:47:18,240 –> 00:47:19,800
of the.
Tribes on the hill of Blessing

801
00:47:19,840 –> 00:47:23,400
Gerizim their borders.
All converge around the center

802
00:47:24,920 –> 00:47:28,840
around Shechem.
Where are the tribes that are on

803
00:47:28,840 –> 00:47:29,800
the hill?
Of cursing.

804
00:47:30,400 –> 00:47:33,280
They’re all on the perimeter, on
the.

805
00:47:33,280 –> 00:47:37,480
Outskirts now, Shechem is all.
About choosing life.

806
00:47:39,280 –> 00:47:42,880
And the best way that.
We can find blessing in our

807
00:47:42,880 –> 00:47:46,560
lives.
Is to be active at the.

808
00:47:46,560 –> 00:47:50,640
Center of our ecclesias with.
God as the basis of our lives.

809
00:47:52,280 –> 00:47:54,880
That’s the principle.
Of why these tribes, I believe.

810
00:47:55,120 –> 00:47:57,640
Are on the hill of.
Blessing and why other tribes?

811
00:47:57,640 –> 00:48:00,360
Are on the hill of.
Cursing because geographically,

812
00:48:00,360 –> 00:48:02,960
they teach us a lesson.
The tribes.

813
00:48:02,960 –> 00:48:05,080
That are on the hill.
Of cursing are all on the

814
00:48:05,080 –> 00:48:07,800
outskirts.
They’re all on the perimeter.

815
00:48:08,320 –> 00:48:09,520
The.
Tribes that are on the hill.

816
00:48:09,520 –> 00:48:17,880
Of blessing are right in the
middle and so the best way.

817
00:48:18,480 –> 00:48:23,960
To choose life is to be active.
At the center of our.

818
00:48:23,960 –> 00:48:27,520
Ecclesias when the ecclesia.
Needs a job done.

819
00:48:29,360 –> 00:48:31,160
You don’t say well, I’ve got to
walk the dog.

820
00:48:32,160 –> 00:48:34,240
I’m not.
Qualified you put your.

821
00:48:34,240 –> 00:48:40,160
Hand up and you say.
I will do it active at the heart

822
00:48:40,160 –> 00:48:40,760
of the.
Ecclesion.

823
00:48:40,760 –> 00:48:42,560
We have these.
Two references up here.

824
00:48:43,800 –> 00:48:45,600
Which for lack of time, we won’t
look at, but numbers.

825
00:48:45,600 –> 00:48:48,440
Chapter 11, verse one and
Deuteronomy.

826
00:48:48,440 –> 00:48:53,480
Chapter 25 verses 17 to 19.
Where were the complainers in

827
00:48:53,480 –> 00:48:56,280
the Camp of Israel?
In Numbers, Chapter 11.

828
00:48:57,120 –> 00:48:59,840
And Tabarab, Well, it says they.
Were in the.

829
00:49:00,000 –> 00:49:03,200
Outside parts of the.
Camp in the uttermost parts of

830
00:49:03,200 –> 00:49:05,520
the camp, that was where
complaining originated.

831
00:49:06,920 –> 00:49:09,120
And it’s very often where.
Complaining in the Ecclesia

832
00:49:09,440 –> 00:49:14,680
originates from the fringes.
Deuteronomy chapter 25 is

833
00:49:14,680 –> 00:49:17,120
speaking about Amalek.
And who did Amalek?

834
00:49:17,120 –> 00:49:19,320
Attack.
It was those that were.

835
00:49:19,320 –> 00:49:22,600
On.
The outside, the stragglers at

836
00:49:22,600 –> 00:49:25,360
the back.
They didn’t go after Aaron and.

837
00:49:25,360 –> 00:49:27,280
Her and Moses and the.
People at the front, the

838
00:49:27,280 –> 00:49:30,440
fighting men, they didn’t go
after those that were active in

839
00:49:30,440 –> 00:49:35,560
the center, they went after the
weaklings and the tribes that

840
00:49:35,560 –> 00:49:38,360
are on the outside.
Are the tribes.

841
00:49:38,360 –> 00:49:40,880
That are on the.
Hill of Cursing the tribes.

842
00:49:41,200 –> 00:49:45,680
That are on the inside.
Are on the hill of blessing.

843
00:49:45,680 –> 00:49:47,520
So where are you in in the
Ecclesia?

844
00:49:49,960 –> 00:49:54,720
Outside just show up.
On Sunday morning And then don’t

845
00:49:54,720 –> 00:49:56,560
see your brothers and sisters
again for another week.

846
00:49:58,120 –> 00:50:00,920
Or are we active?
At the heart of our.

847
00:50:00,920 –> 00:50:03,280
Ecclesias shouldn’t come as any
surprise.

848
00:50:03,280 –> 00:50:07,040
You know that Shechem?
Was a city of refuge.

849
00:50:09,480 –> 00:50:11,840
Because Refuge is.
Found only to those.

850
00:50:13,200 –> 00:50:15,280
That choose life.
And there are.

851
00:50:15,520 –> 00:50:20,040
Steadfast, unmovable, and always
abounding in the work of.

852
00:50:20,040 –> 00:50:22,360
Their God.
I’d like to close brothers and

853
00:50:22,360 –> 00:50:23,920
sisters.
With some words from Zephaniah

854
00:50:23,920 –> 00:50:34,080
chapter 3, Shechem has some
wonderful things to teach us.

855
00:50:34,400 –> 00:50:37,240
We have to choose life.
We have to accept.

856
00:50:37,240 –> 00:50:39,480
Our responsibilities and you
know, one day.

857
00:50:40,080 –> 00:50:42,560
All the world.
Will come to.

858
00:50:42,560 –> 00:50:44,960
Appreciate the importance.
And the significance of this

859
00:50:44,960 –> 00:50:48,360
term and this place.
And the history of these things

860
00:50:48,360 –> 00:50:52,160
that we revel in now.
This is the last occurrence of

861
00:50:52,160 –> 00:50:53,840
the word.
Shechem in our Old Testament

862
00:50:55,440 –> 00:51:02,800
it’s in Zephaniah, chapter 3.
A very unique verses we know in

863
00:51:02,800 –> 00:51:05,640
the Hebrew language.
Zephaniah chapter.

864
00:51:05,640 –> 00:51:08,440
Three and verse 9.
For then, Speaking of the

865
00:51:08,440 –> 00:51:12,080
Kingdom age, I will turn to the
people A.

866
00:51:12,080 –> 00:51:16,200
Pure language.
They’ll all know the truth.

867
00:51:17,280 –> 00:51:19,640
That they may all call upon the
name of.

868
00:51:19,640 –> 00:51:25,080
Yahweh, Remember Abraham.
He pitched his.

869
00:51:25,080 –> 00:51:26,640
Tent, And he called upon the
name of.

870
00:51:26,640 –> 00:51:28,240
Yahweh.
He built an altar.

871
00:51:28,960 –> 00:51:32,560
To serve him with one consent,
now the word consent.

872
00:51:32,560 –> 00:51:35,480
There.
As the margin indicates.

873
00:51:35,480 –> 00:51:40,080
Is the word shoulder or shechem
all the?

874
00:51:40,160 –> 00:51:45,440
Earth will one day call upon the
name of Yahweh and serve him

875
00:51:45,440 –> 00:51:48,800
with one.
Shechem, They will accept.

876
00:51:48,800 –> 00:51:50,880
Their responsibilities.
Which the Lord Jesus?

877
00:51:50,880 –> 00:51:54,800
Christ and the Saints will put
upon them, and they will learn

878
00:51:54,800 –> 00:51:56,400
the.
Importance of the.

879
00:51:56,400 –> 00:51:59,760
Place that we have considered.
This morning, brothers and

880
00:51:59,760 –> 00:52:02,640
sisters.
Let us choose life.